Method for making molds



Sept. 3, 1935. J. LU'roN METHOD FOR MAKING MOLDS Filed July 25, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet l IN VEN TOR.

Jo/m Luton.

A TTORNE Y.

Sept. 3, 1935. J. LUTON METHOD FOR 'MAKING' MOLDS Filed July 25, `1.933 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 n" f W l2 INVENTOR.

J'o/m Luton.

BY I

' ATTORNEY.

Sept. 3, 1935. 1 LUTQN 2,013,278

METHOD FOR MAKING MOLDS Filed July 25, 193s s sheets-sheet s INVENTOR.

97 A fo/m Luton Patented Sept. 3, 1935 PATENT oFFlCE METHOD FOR MAKING MOLDS r John Luton, Cleveland Heights, Ohio, assignor to Consolidated Iron-Steel Mfg. Company of 1932, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application July 25, 1933, Serial No. 682,138

3 Claims.

This invention relates to the art oi founding and particularly to methods and apparatus for making molds of sand or the like and for casting the molds in metal.

It is one of the objects of this invention to provide an apparatus and method whereby a continuous process of producing molds and casting them in metal may be carried out with a saving in the time and/or in the labor' cost thereof as compared with prior practice.

Another object is to provide an apparatus and method for producing molds and casting them in metal in which a division of labor may be effected, the necessary operations to produce a mold and casting it being divided up among la plurality of laborers instead of all being performed successively by a single laborer or groups of laborers.

Another object is to provide an apparatus a'nd method for producing molds and casting them in metal wherein the molds may be produced by relatively unskilled labor or by labor less skilled than has yheretofore been necessary.

Another object is to provide an apparatus and method for producing molds and casting them in metal and wherein the making of the molds may be carried on in a continuously repeating cycle of operations from a plurality of patterns.

Another object is to provide an improved method and apparatus for circulating molding asks and patterns through a continuous cycle of moldproducing and mold-casting operations.

Other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which my invention appertains.

My invention is fully disclosed 4in the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view, in some respects diagrammatic, of an apparatus embodying my invention in one form;

Fig. 2 is a. sectional view to an enlarged scale taken from the plane 2 of Fig. 1 and illustrating a flask jolting mechanism which I may employ;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 illustrating certain parts thereof in different positions;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view to an enlarged scale taken from the plane 4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view to an enlarged scale taken from the plane 5 of Fig. l and illustrating a squeezing operation which I may perform;

Fig. 6 is a View illustrating an operation of pat` tern removal which I may perform subsequent to operation of jolting and squeezing;

Figf'i is a sectional view illustrating a finished mold and carriage upon which it may travel during a casting operation;

Fig. 8 is a view taken from the plane 8 of Fig. 7 and rotated through 180;

Fig. 9 is a view illustrating a, pattern transfer mechanism which I may employ, the vview being taken from the plane 9 of Fig. 1 and drawn to 5 a slightly larger scale;

Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. 1 illustrating a modification;

p Fig. 11 is a sectional View to an enlarged scale taken from the plane Il of Fig. 10; 10

Fig. 12 is a sectional view to a still larger scale taken from the plane I2 of Fig. 10

Fig. 13 is a diagrammatic view of a further modication generally similar to Fig. 10

Fig. 14 is a diagrammatic view illustrating a 15 still further modification of the form of Fig. l0.

This application is a continuation in part of the subject matter of my copending application, Serial No. 501,844, led December 12, 1930, now matured into Patent No. 1,924,081, dated Aug. 22, 20 1933 for improvements in Methods and apparatus for making molds, and reference may be had thereto for a more complete description of parts briey described herein.

Referring to the drawings, I have shown at l 25 generally a trackway comprising inner and outer rails 2 and 3 which may be supported at a convenient height from the floor by a series of spaced trestles 4 4, one of which is iragmentarily illustrated in Fig.\2.

I provide a plurality of carriages adapted to support each a molding flask and pattern and to carry the same along the trackway I to a succession of stations at which successive mold-making operations may be performed; and then to carry the finished mold to a casting or pouring station and thence over a length of the trackway to permit chilling of the casting and thence back to the starting point where the casting is removed and the flask is started around thecycle another time to make another mold, etc.

One form of such carriage and trackway is illustrated and described in my above-mentioned copending application; and a preferred form is illustrated and described in my copending application, Serial No. 682,137, led July 25, 1933 and reference may be had thereto for a more complete description.

It is believed to suiiice herein .to say that the carriage comprises a bed 5 provided with a plu- 50 rality of wheels 6 adapted to run upon the vertically disposed i'langes 1 1 of the rails, the horizontal anges 8-8 of which rest upon and are Secured to the trestles 4.

The bed 5 has anopening or perforation 9 65 therein upwardly through which heads of a jolting machine and a squeezing machine, to be described, may be projected. The bed is providled with a cover I0, prefei ably of sheet metal, covering the opening 9, resting upon the; upper side of the bed, and having lateral depending flanges II'and I2 provided with verticalslcts |3 through which pins I4 are projected into the bed 5 and whereby the cover I may be retained in position on the bed but may have vertical movement relative thereto.

For each of the carriages I provide a molding flask and a. pattern. The flasks comprise a drag portion I5 and a cope portion I6. The complete carriage equipment is thus illustrated in Fig. 2 where it is shown in a particular position or sta.- tion to be referred to.

The further description of the apparatus will follow in connection with a vdescription of the operation of making a mold with the pattern and flask, removing the flask, pouring the mold, returning the flask to the pattern, removing the casting and then repeating this cycle.

The start of the progressive movement of the carriages may be considered as beginning when the carriage is in the position indicated in broken lines at I1, Fig. 1. At or adjacent the station I1 is provided a pile of follow boards |8-I8 and one of these is associated with the flask Vand carriage. The carriage is then moved forward to the station indicated in broken lines at I9, the parts in this position being illustrated in Fig. A2, the flask parts I5 and I6 being assembled with a pattern 20.

At this station and at other subsequent stations where desired, I prefer to provide a device for predetermining the position of the carriage for the station and for automatically stopping it in that position when propelled thereto. A preferred form of such stop device is illustrated and fully described in my copending application, Serial No.'632,137, filed July 25, 1933, above referred to, and reference may be had thereto for a fuller description. It will suilice here to state that it comprises a bar 2| pivoted at an intermediate portion, for example as at 22, Fig. 3, and has stop shoulders 23 and 24 on opposite ends thereof adapted to engage adjacent end portions of the carriage bed 5. The approach end of the bar adjacent the shoulder 23 has an inclined surface 25. Springs 26-26 of the leaf type secured to the rail 3 may normally but yieldingly hold the bar in its generally horizontal position.

In operation, when the carriage is moved along to the station at which it is to be stopped, a leading portion of the bed 5 rides over the inclined surface 25, rocking the bar clockwise as viewed in the drawings, the said end portion of the bed proceeding until it engages the stop portion 24 whereupon the stop portion 23 rises under the impulsion of a spring and prevents backward movement of the bed. 'I'he bed is thus trapped in a predetermined position at the station. To

move it on to the next station, the bar 2| may be rocked manually counter-clockwise to free the stop portion 24 from the corresponding end of the bed. i

Immediately above the flask at the station I9 is a hopper 21 having a discharge spout 28. Molding sand is supplied to the hopper from conditioning apparatus and by conveyor means not shown but Well known in the art. The spout 28 is closed by a gate`29 operable by a hand lever 39.

The operator at the station I9 operates the lever 39 and discharges sand from the spout intov the drag flask I5 as at 3| upon the pattern 2|). I-Ie then places the follow board I8 thereon as indicated in Fig. 3. At the station I9 is also provided a Jolting machine, indicated generally at 32. The machine comprises a cylinder 33, piston 34 and jolting head 35, and operable valve means generally indicated at 36 communicating with a source of compressed air 31 whereby the` head 35 may be jolted with the well known movement in founding practice.

The elements providing the jolting movement 'constituteno essential part of my invention and may be suchas are well known in the art.

The jolting head 35 has a supplemental head 38 .which may be 'raised and lowered relative to the head 35 by a mechanism comprising lobed cams 39-39 rotatably mounted on the head 35 and operable by a mechanism indicatedgenerally at 40 to move them from a retracted position illustrated in Fig. 2 to an extended position illustrated in Fig. 3 to elevate the supplemental head 38. In the elevated position of Fig. 3, the supplemental head 38 is rigidly supported upon the` head 35. As the supplemental head 38 rises, it moves upwardly through the opening 9 in the carriage bed 5', picks up the cover I0 and Athe flask parts and pattern thereon and elevates them above the bed. '.Ihe jolting mechanism 32 is then operated to jolt the head 35 and the supplemental head 38 therewith; and the jolting movement is communicated to the flask and jolts it in a well known manner.

The mechanism above referred to is more completely described in my copending application,

Serial No. 501,844, flled December 12, 1930, and

transferred to the carriage and it is moved on.145

to the next station indicated at 4I, where the parts appear as viewed in Fig. 4. Either at this station or prior to the arrival of the carriage thereto, the operator picks up the two parts of the flask and turns them upsidedown on the carriage bed, and with the follow board I8 rest-` ing directly on the cover I0. Immediately above the flask at the. station 4I is another hopper 42 having a spout 43 and agate 44 controlled by a lever 45.

An operator at the station 4I now operates the handle 45 to drop sand from the hopper 42 into the cope portion I6 of the flask. A small supply of sprue mold boards 4S-46 is disposed adjacent the station 4| and the operator now takes one of these boards and places it on the sand in the cope flask as illustrated in Fig. 5, the board having a sprue mold pattern portion 41 on the' underside thereof. The carriage is then moved by an operator to a squeezing station in'- dicated at 48 at which is located a machine known in the founding art as a squeezer, and Fig. 5 illustrates the flask and squeezer at this station.

The squeezer, shown generally at 49, may be of any suitable or known construction and its exact construction constitutes no essential part of the present invention; As is common to such squeezers, it comprises a cylinder 53, a piston 5| and a squeezing head 52 elevatable by the piston and a stationary upper squeezing head 53. Themovementof the head 52 is controlled by a valve 54 communicating with a supply of compressed air 55. Upon operating the valve 54, the head 52 is elevated and squeezes the mold between the heads 52 and 53, in a well known manner.

It will be observed that the head 52 upon rising, passes upwardly through the opening 9 in the bed 5 and engages the cover I 0 and raises it and the flask supported thereon .free from the carriage proper whereby the squeezing operation is performed without transmitting any of the squeezing pressure to the trackway or to the carriage. After the squeezing operation is complete, the valve 54 is operated to lower the head 52 to its normal position.

When in its lower position, thehead 52, and likewise the head 38 of the jolt/er mechanism above described, are out of the path of the movement of any of the parts of the carriage whereby the carriage may be moved thereover in coming to or departing from the station. To this end, these heads preferably operate upwardly between the rails 2 and 3 of the trackway.

After the squeezing operation above described, the carriage and ask are moved on to the station indicated at 55 in Fig. 1. There the sprue follow board 46 is removed and returned to the pile from which it was taken, indicated generally at 51; and the mold is disassembled as illustrated generally in Fig. 6, to remove the patternZO therefrom, and the two parts of the flask are reassembled as shown in Fig. 7. During these operations the rest of the sprue mold 58 may be produced in a well known manner for pouring later.

The pattern removed from the mold is now put upon a transfer mechanism illustrated generally at 59, Fig. l, and shown separately in Fig. 9, to transfer the pattern back to the station I1 from which it started. Any suitable transfer mechanism may be employed. That shown in the drawings comprises a central column 69 carrying at its upper vend an inclined head or frame 6I having rotatable belt pulleys 62 and 63 at its opposite ends. A belt 64 runs o\ er the pulleys and is provided with a longitudinal series of hook devices 65-65 adapted to be engaged with one or another of the perforations 66 in the pattern match-plate by which it is aligned with its flask portions I5 and I6 in the usual manner, for example by means of pins 61 on one of the flask members projecting through the perforations 66 and into corresponding perforations 68 in theV other flask member.

The higher pulley of the two, namely 63, is clisposed over or adjacent the station 56 and the pattern 29, supported thereon, will move by gravity downwardly substantially to the station I1 over which the pulley 62 is disposed.

The mold is now complete and appears as illustrated in Fig. 7 and is then moved by an operator from the station 56 to a pouring station 69 where molten metal from a cupola 10 is poured into the mold through the sprue mold 58 from a spout 1 I. The cupola 10 and spout 1I may be of well known construction and form no essential part of my invention. The carriage containing the mold and molten metal is now moved forwardly along the trackway until it is picked up by a driving chain 12 by which it is continuously moved along the trackway until it reaches the next station, indicated in broken lines at 'I3 in Fig. l.

'I'he exact construction of the propelling chain 12 constitutes no essential part of my invention. One form, however, is illustrated in Figs. 1 and 8. The chain is looped over a pair of spaced sprocket wheels 'I4-14, extends from one to the other in a straight flight 15 and the return flight runs in a curved channel 18 which disposes it parallel to adjacent portions of the trackway between the stations B9 and 13. 'The chain is provided with spaced prongs 11 and is propelled by a motor 18 which continuously drives the chain by driving the pulley 1'4 by suitable transmission mechanism.

The carriages, preferably the covers thereof, are each provided with a lug 19 adapted to be engaged by one or another'of the prongs TI whereby the carriage may be propelled by the chain around the trackway with a continuous movement.

The length of the trackway between the stations 69 and 13 is proportioned so that the metal will solidify suiiiciently to be removed from thc mold. At the station 13, therefore, the flask is opened up, the casting and sand shaken out, and the two flask portions are returned to the carriage, and the carriage is moved on to the station I1 where a pattern is assembled with it and it is ready to proceed a second time around the cycle.

To facilitate breaking up the sand and separating the casting therefrom, a grate |19 of known construction and operated in the known manner may be provided.

It will be observed that there are more flasks in the system than patterns, those flasks in the system between the stations 69 and 13 being Without patterns; so that the pattern is not returned to the same flask from which it was disassembled after the making of the mold and therefore the patterns may be made interchangeable with the flasks.

As will now be apparent, any suitable number of operators may be stationed on the inside or on the outside of the trackway and that the various operations performed may be sub-divided among them; and that the fiask patterns move continuously through the cycle being used over and over again, and may be described as circulating through the mold-making and casting system without cessation. As each operator performs but a single operation, all the operations of making the mold and casting it maybe formed with the maximum of economy.

Any suitable apparatus may be employed to convey sand from the shaking out grate |19 through a conditioning apparatus and back to the sand hoppers 42 and 21. Such apparatus being Well known in the art, the exact details of construction thereof form no essential part of my invention, and my invention comprehends any such apparatus as an element thereof.

After the complete apparatus has been started up and the first flask has returned all the way from the starting point back thereto again, each flask will have associated with it a. follow board I8 and no more such boards need be supplied to the system from the pile above referred to adjacent the station I9.

The exact number of patterns and flasks which may circulate continuously through the system illustrated in Fig. l0, will be determined largely by the number of stations starting with the station I1 and around through the station 56 back to the station I1. For the most economical use of the apparatus there should be one flask and pattern at each station or moving from one station to the next at all times. The number of asks in circulation will be equal to the number of patterns plus those flasks which have been poured and are on the cooling portion of the trackway, which number is of course determined by the length of trackway necessary to solidify the casting. l fJ/ In the form of my invention in Figi 10, the minimum number of asks may bev employed.

At is illustrated a trackway generally similar to the trackway of Fig. l but circular in form. Hoppers 21 and 42, a starting station I1, a drag filling and jolting station |9, a cope lling station 4| and a squeezing station 48 and a disassembling station 56 are provided, all as in the form of Fig. 1. v

At the station 56, however, the flask is removed from the mold. and the mold supported upon a board, is picked up and removed from t'ie trackway 80 and laid upon a conveyor 8|. In Fig. 11 the cope portion of the mold is illustrated :at 82, the drag portion at 83, and the board at 84, resting upon the conveyor illustrated generally at 8|. It will be apparent, therefore, that the flasks employed must be of the form known as snap :flasks and the drag follow board 84 must preferably be of a form without cleats or lugs such as the lugs 85, Fig. 7, which were used in the other form. After the follow board 84 with the mold thereon is placed upon the conveyor 8|, the two parts of the snap flask together with the pattern which has been removed from the mold, are placed upon the carriage and moved from the station 56 around the circular trackway to the starting point I1. Otherwise, the operations of forming the mold may be the same as those described for the form of Fig. l.

The conveyorv 8| is generally of U-shape, and the mold is placed thereon, for example at a station 86 at or adjacent the end of the U leg and adjacent the station 56 so that it will be convenient for an operator to lift the mold from the circular trackway and place it on the U-shaped conveyor. The mold is then propelled along the conveyor by hand to a pouring station 81 where molten metal may flow from a spout 1| to f'lll the mold. The mold is then picked up by an automatic propelling means and propelled on the conveyor around the closed end to the other leg of the U where it may be moved manually to a break-up station indicated at 88.

At the station 88 the mold and casting may be brokenl apart in connection with a shake-out grate |19 and the follow board 84 may bepassed over to one of the iiasks at the station |1 and be re-introduced into the circulation thereof. 'If desired, the follow boards 84 may be dropped into a pile indicated generally at 89 from which they may be transferred to the asks going around the circular trackway 80. Obviously, there will be more follow boards 84 than there are flasks and patterns inasmuch as some of them will be slowly moving along the U-shaped conveyor 8|.

The sprue mold board may be introduced into the system and out again at the stations 41| and 56as described for the form of Fig. l.

The conveyor mechanism 8| may be of any suitable construction and the details thereof constitute no essential part of my invention. In the form illustrated, the conveyor comprises a pair of laterally spaced channels 90 and 9l| supported in any suitable manner and in which the opposite ends of rollers 92 are rotatably supported.

For automatically conveyingthe mold around the closed end of the U, which portion may be-of any suitable length to give the necessary time for the molten metal to solidify, the-following n means may be provided. A" chain 93 runs over a pair of sprockets 94 and 95. the sprocket 95 being driven by a motor 96. The chain 93 extends in a straight night from the sprockets 95 and 94 parts, 91-91, rotatably supported at one end in `the channels 90 and 9| and at their inner ends on the channel |96. The channel |96 'is bent to conform to the shape of the channels 90 and 9|'. The chain 93 may be provided with spaced rollers 98 to facilitate its movement through the? channel |96 and may be provided with longitudinally spaced prongs 99 extending upwardly therefrom and out of the channel |96 and above the rollers 91-91.

By this construction, when the mold is moved from the station 81, the board 84 thereof may be engaged by one of the prongs 99 as illustrated in Figs. 11 and 12, and thence may be propelled around the conveyor to or adjacent the station 88 where it may be moved from the chain and prongs manually. Guiding side rails |00, Fig. 12,

may be provided if desired to insure that the mold may not leave the rollers of the conveyor.

Where greater productive capacity with the minimum of iioor space is desired, the form of Fig. l0 may be modified as illustrated in Fig. 13 or 14. In Figl 13, the two circular trackways 80-80 are provided with suitable stations therearound and apparatus at the stations as described in connection with the trackway 80 of Fig. l0. The direction of movement around the trackway may be that indicated by theY arrows |0|. The molds may be lifted from the trackway 80 when finished thereon and transferred to the conveyor 8|, passing the pouring spout 1|. The

molds upon reaching either the station |02 or the station |03 may be broken up on the grates |04 and |05, respectively, the follow boards being returned to carriages on the trackways 8080.

Thus while duplicating the circular trackways 80 and the apparatus thereon for making the molds, the U-shaped conveyor 8| need not be duplicated but the legs thereof may be extended slightly in length.

In Fig. 14, another floor plan is provided. In this form two circular trackways |06 and |01 are provided, the circulation thereon being in opposite directions as indicated by the arrows |08 and |09. Two U-shaped conveyors are provided having a common leg ||0 and individual legs and ||2. Molds finished on the circular trackways |06 and |01 are transferred to the common yconveyor leg ||0, for example at the station H3,

and cast a common pouring spout 1|. At I4, the conveyor divides by any suitable switching mechanism and some of the molds may be directed in the direction of the arrow ||5 and others in the direction of the arrow |I6 whence theyare conveyed to the legs and ||2 of the conveyor and ultimately broken up upon the grates ||1 and ||8,

The forms of my invention illustrated in Figs. 10, 13 and 14 effect a return to the circulating system of only the follow boards upon which the molds are transported while being poured and cooled; and have the advantage that the cooling conveyor, being doubled back upon itself in U- form, covers the minimum length of floor space.

practiced with a cooling conveyor of lrectilinear theend of the line may be transported by other' form and the follow boards discharged at means back to the station I1 or its equivalent on the circular trackw'ay.

The two hoppers of the form of Fig. 1 or of Fig. 10 may be fed by sand from a common hopper, and the four hoppers of the forms of Figs. 13 and 14 may be fed from a common hopper to simplify the apparatus supplying the sand to the system. Any suitable construction of sand handling apparatus for this purpose may be used. One form is illustrated and described in my copending application, Serial No. 682,137, led July 25, 1933, and reference may be had thereto for a description thereof. Y

My invention is not limited to the exact details of construction shown and described. Many changes and modications may be made therein within the scope and spirit of my invention without sacrificing its advantages.

I claim:

l. The method of making castings which includes moving a plurality of molding units each including a pattern and a plurality of ask elements through a succession of stations from a starting point, performing on each unit different mold-making operations at the different stations including removing the pattern from the ask elements and leaving a completed mold, returning the pattern on a closed path of movement to the starting point, continuing movement of the mold and av flask element on a branch path of movement, pouring molten metal into the mold, moving the poured mold and said flask element over a cooling portion of the branch path of movement, causing the metal to solidify, continuing movement of the mold and flask element to the molten metal into the mold, movingthe poured mold and flask over a cooling portion of the branch path of movement, causing the metal to solidify, continuing movement of the mold andl ask to the starting point, breaking up the mold and removing the casting, the asks being moved at the same predetermined rate over the cooling portion, of ,the branch path and the patterns and flasks moving independently on the closed path and on other portions of the branch path.

3. The method of making castings which includes moving a plurality of patterns and snapflasks including a mold supporting element through a succession of stations from a starting point, performing on each fiask different moldmaking operations at the different stations including removing the patterns from the flasks and vremoving the flasks from the mold leaving the mold on the mold supporting element, returning the patterns and flask on a closed path of movement to the starting point, continuing movement of the mold and mold supporting element on a branch path of movement, pouring molten metal in the mold, moving the poured mold and supporting element over a cooling portion of the branch path of movement, causing the metal to solidify, continuing movement of the mold and supporting element to the starting point, breaking up thev mold and removing the casting, the mold and mold supporting element being moved at the same predetermined rate over the cooling portion of the branch path and the mold and supporting element moving independently on other portions of the branch path and the fiasks and associated patterns moving independently on the l closed path.

JOHN LUTON. 

